A Republican House member (pictured) was slammed by a Democratic colleague as a "chickenshit thief" after borrowing one of his signs, a Capitol Hill newspaper reports.

"On Thursday, during House votes, a very angry Rep. Heath Shuler (D-N.C.) had some distinctly non-collegial words for Rep. Louie Gohmert (R-Texas)," Emily Heil reports for Roll Call's "Heard on the Hill." "The words 'gutless,' 'chickens--t' and 'thief' were flung."

The paper reports, "Shuler, a former NFL quarterback, was spotted towering over a seated Gohmert, wagging a finger in his face during the heated session, spies tell HOH."

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Late Wednesday night, Gohmert was heading to the House floor to come to the aid of Rep. Tom Price (R-Ga.) as he discussed holding down federal spending. Gohmert, whose office is on the fifth floor of the Cannon House Office Building, passed the door to Shuler’s office, located on the same floor, and apparently decided to make off with the sign perched on an easel outside the office, which was closed for the night.

The sign is one that all Blue Dogs post outside their offices; it changes daily and denotes the federal deficit as well as the average American’s individual share thereof. Gohmert pinched the sign and then went down to the floor to rail about spending, taking a few jabs at the Democratic majority, of course, and using the purloined poster as a prop. “Frankly, I want one of these signs,” he said. “I may have to change the name to the Blue Hound Dog Coalition or something.”

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Gohmert, though, denies it was stealing, since he did, after all, return the item. Borrowing is more like it, said his spokeswoman. ....And as for that confrontation on the House floor, Gohmert professes himself to be surprised. “Congressman Shuler is such a great guy, I feel sure he did not mean anything too personal,” he said. “I know I did not go into his office; I know I did not steal anything; but I am still trying to discern if he might be right about my being chicken excrement.”